Queen Elizabeth II has died, Buckingham Palace announces

Buckingham Palace has announced the death of The Queen.

Elizabeth II, 96, was the nation’s longest-reigning monarch, serving as head of state for more than 70 years.

She died at her Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, where her family gathered on Thursday afternoon.

The Prince of Wales is now King, having acceded to the throne immediately on the death of his mother.

In a statement released shortly after 6:30pm, the Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022

The Queen was the first British monarch in history to reach her Platinum Jubilee, celebrating the landmark in June. She was also the longest-reigning still-serving monarch in the world.

One of her final acts was, on Tuesday, holding audiences with Boris Johnson and Liz Truss as power was handed over between prime ministers.

She mourned the loss of her beloved husband of 73 years, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died aged 99 in April 2021.

A figure of stability in national life, the Queen was head of state, the armed forces, the Commonwealth and the Church of England.

The majority of the population has known no other monarch.

Britain will enter a period of national mourning, as tributes flood in from around the globe, hailing the Queen’s unwavering commitment to serving her country and the Commonwealth.

The long-held so-called London Bridge plans for the coming days and the Queen’s state funeral will now be put in place, as will the contingency element Operation Unicorn for a death in Scotland.

The Queen is expected to lie in state in a few days’ time, with her funeral held in Westminster Abbey in central London in around 10 days.

Alongside her public duties, the Queen was also a mother of four, grandmother to eight and great-grandmother of 12 great-grandchildren, and the royal family is now grieving for its matriarch.